Christine Sexton | Florida Phoenix

The state Department of Health notified the AIDS Healthcare Foundation that it would not renew five of its contracts to test and treat people with HIV and stop the spread of the sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez issued separate statements advising their respective members they won’t need to travel to Tallahassee next week for a special session on the budget.

‘To take people who are already on medication, take them off that, in my mind, that’s almost like a death sentence.’

The number of measles cases in Florida climbed to 140 as of March 14, with seven additional cases disclosed to the Florida Department of Health in the last reporting week, including one case in Broward County.

Last year’s extended session that featured a lengthy standoff between the Florida House and Florida Senate over spending and taxes cost slightly more than $259,000, according to figures compiled by the Office of Legislative Services.

A circuit court judge has ruled that the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis can push ahead with reductions to a program that helps people with HIV and AIDS purchase life-saving drugs.

Will the Legislature give him a victory before he’s term limited out of office?

House Speaker Daniel Perez was coy when asked whether the House would sign off on the offer.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act imposed Medicaid work requirements on low-income, single, childless adults who qualify for the program through the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare. The Florida Senate wants to go even further and on Monday passed legislation (SB 1758) putting work requirements on about 1,100 of the poorest people in the state who rely on the health care safety net program for their care.

House and Senate differ on key aspects of Medicaid legislation. Former Senate President Don Gaetz’s bill, SB 1758, goes beyond the federal law by including work and training requirements for certain Medicaid enrollees. The House hasn’t included the work requirements in its companion legislation, HB 693.

Shevaun Harris says Florida returned the money in an ‘abundance of caution.’

A leading provider of AIDS care is asking a Florida state administrative court to resume proceedings in a legal challenge to the DeSantis administration’s move to reduce enrollment eligibility in a program that helps people purchase medications.